Today’s KROQ Flashback: Beck “Where It’s At”

Mr. Hansen, Mr. Beck Hansen. Of all the humans I’ve sat down to tea with over a microphone for a radio chat, Beck is one of my fondest memories (though, unless he still has the toy telephone I gave him, he probably doesn’t remember our verbal intercourse in New York at all). He was just what he seems to be – odd, cool, laid back slacker boy man child deal.

I’ve long called him ‘The Voice of the 90′s’ since he so perfectly captured the general attitude of that decade, but the stuff he’s cranked out this century I like even more (and you really oughta check out if you’re not familiar with it). Like ‘Rental Car’ and the video for ‘Ghettochip Malfunction’ and next time you’re in a chill mood that is bordering on massive depression check out the cover he did of ‘Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime’ from one of my all time favorite movies ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’.

Picking one flashback from Beck wasn’t too hard, though, since this was the first song MTV2 ever played. There was a bit of a toss up between this one and a cover of MTV’s debut song (‘Video Killed The Radio Star’) by They Might Be Giants that was out at the time, but I think my pal Music Director Darcy Fulmer picked the right track to kick off what is now one of 420 music channels (that aren’t playing any music). Two turntables and a microphone indeed!